Are GBA auctions from Asia SCAMS or just BOOTS?

[javeryh]

What's wrong with these things? Do you not receive the item or is it that you receive a bootleg copy (that still plays)?

[ceril]

yes most are bootlegs.

[jshorr]

What's wrong with these things? Do you not receive the item or is it that you receive a bootleg copy (that still plays)?

Check the feedback.....if it's fairly positive, assume people are getting carts that play...however.......I strongly suggest you don't go that route....moral implications aside, what you will get is an inferior product....a few years back I mistakenly bought a copy of Metroid Fusion which turned out to be a bootleg and the battery died after a few months. Stick with the real thing.....

[Purkeynator]

I have wondered the same thing. I guess the fakes must be so good noone can tell the difference because everyone who buys them seems to give the sellers good feedback.

[jshorr]

I have wondered the same thing. I guess the fakes must be so good noone can tell the difference because everyone who buys them seems to give the sellers good feedback.

Ehhhh...not really........I think a lot of the people who buy know they're getting bootleg and don't care as long as the game works and give positive feedback. Which is silly since down the road their cart may stop working. The few bootleg's I've seen actually aren't close to the real thing...the quality of everything, from the box, the manual, the sticker on the cart, are off. The manual often is not even a complete copy. Again, I really gotta urge you go with the real thing.

[video_gamer324]

I have wondered the same thing. I guess the fakes must be so good noone can tell the difference because everyone who buys them seems to give the sellers good feedback.

I don't think it's any indication of the quality of the bootlegs. I notice a lot of feedback from parents saying "my son/daughter enjoys it," so I'm guessing they just give the bootlegs to their kids, see that they work, then leave positive feedback.

[Fanboy]

Boots are scams.

Feedback isn't a reliable indicator of quality as by the time your cart expires you will be well outside any reasonable feedback window.

[zionoverfire]

Bootlegs often have short battery life, they are made cheaply and you can't trade or resell them.

[unctennis122]

You definately can trade them. I have seen some at ebgames, especially rarer games. I almost bought Castlevania HOD, but it was a boot for sure. Most eb employee's arent smart enough to figure it out I bet.

[flybrione]

I got a bootleg or two and the main way you can tell the difference is that the word Nintendo on the back of the is spelled incorrectly.

I had a bootleg of Wario World 4 and the battery died after I had it for about a year. I also had a bootleg of Megaman and Bass and when I traded it in it still worked (battery). I have now gotten rid of all my bootlegs and will never get scammed in to buying one again.

Look for the weird spellings of Nintendo . . .
Nlntendo, Ninjendo, Ninlendo, Nintenda on the back of the cart.

I've also noticed the front of the cart sometimes has the GameBoy Advance logo in a oval which is also wrong.

You take a risk with bootlegs. They will work but for how long? If a GBA game your purchasing has a battery save stay away. I would recommend staying away completely.

[judyjudyjudy]

I got a bootleg or two and the main way you can tell the difference is that the word Nintendo on the back of the is spelled incorrectly.

I had a bootleg of Wario World 4 and the battery died after I had it for about a year. I also had a bootleg of Megaman and Bass and when I traded it in it still worked (battery). I have now gotten rid of all my bootlegs and will never get scammed in to buying one again.

Look for the weird spellings of Nintendo . . .
Nlntendo, Ninjendo, Ninlendo, Nintenda on the back of the cart.

I've also noticed the front of the cart sometimes has the GameBoy Advance logo in a oval which is also wrong.

You take a risk with bootlegs. They will work but for how long? If a GBA game your purchasing has a battery save stay away. I would recommend staying away completely.

The boots I've gotten spelled Nintendo just fine on the back. The only thing I have yet to see the bootleggers do is print the copyright, year, and serial number above in the contacts on the board. (It's visible when you look up into the contacts; you don't have to open the cart.) I think that's a pretty reliable method to see if it's a bootleg.

[jimbodan]

The boots I've gotten spelled Nintendo just fine on the back. The only thing I have yet to see the bootleggers do is print the copyright, year, and serial number above in the contacts on the board. (It's visible when you look up into the contacts; you don't have to open the cart.) I think that's a pretty reliable method to see if it's a bootleg.

That's the best way to tell if the game is a bootleg IMO

[zionoverfire]

You definately can trade them. I have seen some at ebgames, especially rarer games. I almost bought Castlevania HOD, but it was a boot for sure. Most eb employee's arent smart enough to figure it out I bet.

People at this site will kill you if you tried to trade them here. :D

[Pure Apathy]

Most of them are bootlegs.

[Weedy649]

i just look for that trusty nintendo seal of approval

[discopenguin816]

unless its a japanese game, they are nearly all boots.